the oldest trick in the book

phrase

A method of deception or trickery that has been overused so many times before that it should therefore be well-known or remain as common knowledge to everyone.

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Meanings

phrase
  1. A method of deception or trickery that has been overused so many times before that it should therefore be well-known or remain as common knowledge to everyone.
Cite this entry
APA

the oldest trick in the book. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20oldest%20trick%20in%20the%20book

MLA

“the oldest trick in the book.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20oldest%20trick%20in%20the%20book. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the oldest trick in the book,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20oldest%20trick%20in%20the%20book.

Source: the oldest trick in the book on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.